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Monthly Archives: April 2012

For those of you who know me, you know my softest spot is for animals. Without them, life just wouldn’t be the same. We develop a relationship with them that isn’t defined by language, age, race, or gender. We communicate with them as members of our own family because they are. And although their time here seems limited, the love and memories they give us stay with us forever.

So while other people are writing about how to make your home pet-friendly, I think it’s more appropriate to think that pets have made their home more people-friendly. They open our minds to the world through their eyes. They allow us in their home, to share their days and nights, to play with us when we are happy and to be there for us when we are sad. They hold a gift that can only be opened by letting them into our lives. One look at their faces and we’re butter.

“Sam”

Sadly, friends of mine lost their Sam this week after 15 ½ years…a heartbreaking day that will take time to pass before their memories are filled with all the love and good times they shared together. Unfortunately, most of us have shared a similar day. In Sammy’s honor, I’d like to take a look at some other pets who have shared their homes with us. This is a collection of pictures I’ve collected privately over time out of my love for animals. They show us just who the king (or sometimes queen) of the house is. Some of them come from some amazing websites which, if you hover over the image, you will be able to visit. My favorite sites are Interior Design Sense and Desire to Inspire which has a weekly posting every Monday about pets on furniture. Others are my own pets or those of friends. Notice how comfortable they seem lounging on their furniture. Enjoy.

Hiring an interior designer should be an exciting time for you. However, if you’ve never used their services before, you may feel a little anxious or intimidated by the prospect of having a total stranger come into your home (and your life) and start analyzing everything you own.

Retro Interiors: Private Residence, The Bahamas

While most designers understand the dynamics of what they are walking into, I’ve found that most homeowners have a lot of questions and concerns about how it works.
To help those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of working with a designer, here is a list of some of the most common questions that your designer will likely ask you.

1. How would you describe the overall look that you want to give your home? This could range from casual to contemporary or traditional to transitional. Some clients have certain keywords that they may have in mind such as coastal, cottage, vintage, Mediterranean, eclectic, minimalist, etc. Generally the designer is looking for a mental picture to begin the design strategy.

Retro Interiors: Private Residence, Las Olas Isles, Fort Lauderdale

2. How is the space going to be used? There’s nothing typical about how people live. Everyone is different and there is no right or wrong. I’ve had people convert complete bedrooms into closets, dining rooms into billiard rooms, etc. Maybe you want the room to have multiple uses such as a great room for entertaining, gaming, media center and family gatherings. Maybe the home office needs to accommodate overnight guests. Maybe the dining room needs to be able to serve as card tables on game night. This is where you need to be honest in the way you live so the designer can create something that will satisfy your requests.

Retro Interiors: Penthouse, Pompano Beach, FL

3. How do you feel about structural changes? This could include adding windows, moving doorways, enlarging rooms, raising ceilings, etc. Sometimes these changes can make a huge impact on the final result.

4. How many people do you typically entertain? This can have an effect on the size of the dining room, the amount of seating in the living areas, the traffic pattern and layout of the furniture and also the types of surfaces selected. Heavy traffic areas need surfaces that will take abuse and are easy to clean. The same holds true for fabrics used on upholstery.

5. Do you have any pet peeves or things you don’t like? Let you designer know if you have certain colors that you favor or ones that you don’t like. If you have preferences beyond that, such as types of patterns (florals, stripes, plaids, etc.), speak your mind.

Retro Interiors: Penthouse, Fort Lauderdale, FL

6. Are there any special personal needs? Special needs include family or close friends that might have certain handicaps, pets, size of extended families during holidays, etc.

7. Time Frame? Do you have any deadline for having the work completed? Is this date firm or just a desired date? Keep in mind that by shortening the timeframe, you may be shortening the selection that your designer can choose from and also limits them on suggesting special treatments such as construction related improvements. Also, if you don’t have any specific deadlines, the option of completing the project in phases is a possibility meaning the scope of the work could be increased to fit your financial situation over time.

Retro Interiors: Penthouse, Fort Lauderdale, FL

8. How long do you plan on living here? This is important so the designer can gauge the value of different options. Those planning on moving in 4-5 years should invest less in a project than someone who his planning on spending a great deal of their future years in this home. The only exception to this rule is if you have purchased an older home at a great price and you’re hoping to realize a profit on the resale. In that case, construction costs may exceed the cost of furnishings but undoubtedly need to be done to bring the home up to a competitive standard.

9. Do you need any specialty services included in the project? Specialty items would include things such as sound systems, media or security systems, special remote controlled devices such as the Lutron SmartHouse system, specialty plumbing or any other mechanical items that would require the coordination with an outside source to include in the project.

Retro Interiors: Private Residence, Fort Lauderdale, FL

10. What is your budget? This is a bit tricky. Some clients feel they need to low-ball the designer thinking that designers always come in over budget. Some throw out an unrealistic figure with no real intention of spending that much money. The best advice here is to be honest. Let your designer know just how much you are comfortable spending. They can apply it in the best possible way to give you the biggest bang for your buck. If you have no idea what things cost, again be honest. A good designer should be able to give you some idea after discussing the scope of the project based on their previous experience. But before you start handing over any deposits, it’s a wise decision to get all the costs lined up first so there are no surprises.

This will give you an idea of some of the more popular questions that we, as designers, like to know going into a new project. Of course, you will have questions too and you should ask all of them without reserve. Having no surprises during or at the end of the job will make the process much more fun and hopefully you will have built a lasting relationship that will follow you and your family through the years ahead.

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